Photoshop Bootcamp For Photographers & Freelancers

In this lecture, we'll go over three things:

1. What is Photoshop—reeeallly?
2. There are no wrong answers!
3. Experimentation is crucial.

Experimentation is key in Photoshop, and that means you have to know how to back up and undo things (sometimes multiple things!) quickly and easily. This lecture will introduce you to the History panel, taking the fear out of making mistakes.

Feeling comfortable (and less clumsy) is the goal in this section! We’ll go over how the workspace is organized, how the toolbar works, how to find and work with panels, how to get started with keyboard shortcuts, and how to navigate in (and between) images.

PS: If you'd prefer to download all the files for the course as one giant .zip file (instead of individual downloads for each lecture), you'll find what you need attached to the resources for this lecture.

Learn how tools are organized, where to edit their control options, and an overview of keyboard shortcuts.

In this lecture, you'll uncover a hidden image while practicing repeatedly switching tools using your keyboard. So cool!

Keyboard shortcuts rule! But why are they sooooo important? In this lecture, you'll learn where to find/learn them, how to edit/customize/create them, as well as how to save and export them.

This lecture covers an overview of key panels, where to find them, how to manipulate and organize them, and how to save your workspace.

Here's a quick look at preference settings and options.

Explore options for color preferences and color profiles.

Juggling multiple open images doesn't have to be a headache! Learn some tips for finding, opening, browsing, and arranging multiple images.

Banish that clumsy feeling forever, and learn how to scoot, zoom, and scroll around your images—with your keyboard! This exercise file contains three surprises to encourage you to practice. Can you find them all?

In this lecture, I'll show you how to make basic image tune-ups (including non-destructive edits) to things like exposure, contrast, and color. You'll also get to know the histogram—it's not as scary as you think!

We'll unlock the mysteries of what "exposure" means, while learning to adjust brightness and contrast.

By the end of this lecture, you'll be fluent in reading a histogram.

We'll practice using the Levels command to adjust exposure.

Let's take a quick peek at how to use the Curves command.

Welcome to a crash course on how Photoshop handles color.

Learn how to make an auto color adjustment or a manual shift in color balance.

Don't let your eyes fool you! In this lecture, you'll learn to color correct an image based on sampled numerical values.

Up until now, we've been making destructive edits. While they have their time and place, it's a better practice to make your edits non-destructively using Adjustment Layers.

Let's practice everything we've learned so far while walking through an image tune-up together, from top to bottom!

Format matters, and there's more to saving your files than just choosing File>Save and going with the Photoshop default settings. Join me in this section to get the scoop!

Do you know the difference between a JPG and a PSD? Learn how and when to choose each one.

What are all those file options about, anyway? What happens to layers in a JPG? The answers are all here!

You won't believe the difference in file size when saving to a JPG versus a PSD. In this lecture, we'll save the same image to both formats and compare—the results will likely surprise you!

Once you have a healthy image, you can start to work on fun stuff like color! In this section, we'll dive into color tweaks, black and white conversions, and more!

In this lecture, we'll use a hue/saturation adjustment layer to skew the overall colors, as well as target specific colors and adjust them separately.

If you've ever struggled to create color themes, you'll love what you can do with the Swatches and Adobe Color Themes panels!

If you've ever been overwhelmed or confused by the Color Picker, this lecture is for you!

Changing colors is fun! In this lecture, we'll replace one color with another.

Need to change the color of something? Check out the Color Replacement Brush!

Learn how a simple color overlay layer can dramatically change the look and feel of an image. 

Learn to use photo filters to enhance or alter the colors of an image.

Gradient maps RULE! You won't believe the subtle or dramatic impact they can have on your images.

Converting to black and white is an art form all its own. Check out all the ways you can customize your own!

Let's talk about making selections, shall we? Selections are what allow you to "grab" things in Photoshop, whether to move them, remove them, tweak them, etc. Some selections are simple, but others can be more complicated. With a little know-how, you'll be amazed at what you can do with selections; watch this section to find out!

Use the magic wand to transplant an elephant from one scene to another.

More fun with the Magic Wand! In this lecture, we'll use the Magic Wand to fill the sky with hot air balloons.

This is the first of three lectures where we'll be moving an airplane from one background to another. Here, we'll use the Selection Brush to select the body of the plane, before continuing in the next two lectures.

Continuing from the previous lecture, we'll use Quick Mask Mode to select (and properly reflect the motion of) the plane's propellers.

Finishing the project we started two lectures back, we'll polish the final image by adding realism using the Match Color command and a simple Photo Filter.

Marquee tools may seem simple at first glance, but they prove to be endlessly useful. Here, we'll use the elliptical marquee tool to make a selection and add it to the design for a magazine cover. The project continues in the next lecture.

Continued from the previous lecture, we'll finish creating a magazine cover composite using a lasso tool.

Furry selections can be tricky, but not if you have some selection know-how! In this lecture, we'll select a number of furry animals and move them into a new scene.

Layers are an integral part of Photoshop. By the end of this section, you'll know what they are and how to get the most out of them. Learning about layers also means making sense of smart objects, layer masks and layer effects. Lots of powerful stuff here!

You probably understand layers better than you think; you just might not know it yet. After this lecture, making sense of layers will be a breeze!

So. Much. Goodness. Here! We'll go over selecting and moving layers, toggling their visibility, adjusting opacity and blend mode, renaming and grouping layers, and what transparency looks like.

Where do layers come from? Let's find out!

Continued from the previous lecture, here we'll learn the ultra important command: Free Transform.

In the third part of a four-lecture series, you'll learn what Smart Objects are and when/how to use them. It's transformation without the data loss, and who doesn't want that?

Transparency is more than a buzz word; it's a whole "thing" in Photoshop. This lecture will make it all clear. (Pun intended.)

Don't erase your layers; hide them—with layer masks!

Waaay more fun than clipping coupons is Clipping GROUPS!  A powerful feature for controlling which layers appear where, once you get the hang of it, you'll find hundreds of ways to put Clipping Groups to good use.

Why not learn about layer styles while using them to create a neon sign!?

What's a mockup and why are they so awesome? In this section, we'll put everything we've learned so far into action and create not one, but two mockups that you'll be able to reuse over and over again when showcasing your own projects.

Where do you find the source files for a mockup? How do you know what to look for?

Photoshop's brushes are mighty powerful, and they serve as the foundation of many other tools, from painting to retouching. Learn how to use, edit, and create new brushes from scratch.

Practice changing the size and hardness of your brushes (with the keyboard, of course).

Who knew Photoshop had so many awesome brushes built in? Come see what all the fuss is about!

What makes one brush different from another? Besides the shape of the brush itself, it's the particular settings for things like scatter, hue jitter, spacing, and more that can dramatically change the way a brush works. The options are as endless as they are incredible!

In addition to the oodles of brushes that come with Photoshop, you can also make your own!

Once you create a brush you love, it's handy to know how to save it. Of course, saving brushes means you can also load them. This makes it easy to share brushes that you create with others, and vice versa!

Retouching can mean everything from removing an unwanted object to shedding a few pounds from your mid-section. No matter what kind of retouching you plan to do, the basic process is the same. It’s not even new to Photoshop—the first techniques we’ll look at are as old as photography itself.

Dodging and burning has been part of the retouching process for as long as photography has existed. Photoshop makes it easier than ever.

The Spot Healing Brush makes simple retouching quick and painless. Your clients will thank you!

Have a client requesting tattoo removal? Don't panic; it's easy!

The Healing Brush and Clone Stamp are two different tools, and each has their place in client projects. In this lecture, you'll learn how and when to use each one.

The Patch Tool has been around longer than a lot of the other retouching tools in Photoshop. In this lecture, you'll see why it continues to be the go-to tool for a quick and easy fix.

Make unwanted objects disappear or redesign a photo's composition to save the day—with the magic of Content Aware.

In this lecture, we'll combine everything we've covered so far to clean up an image for a client's marketing needs.

One of the most important parts of developing your skill as a retoucher is knowing when to stop.